tuesday, november 12, 2002 lrc 2002 conference xliff an xml standard for localisation tony...

Tuesday, November 12, 2002 LRC 2002 Conference

XLIFF

An XML standard for localisation

Tony Jewtushenko – Oracle

Peter Reynolds – Bowne Global Solutions


Agenda

• What is XLIFF, Who is involved and Why

• XLIFF’s development since the LRC 2001 conference

• XLIFF - a technical overview

• XLIFF in action

• The future for XLIFF


XLIFF:

• Is an XML Open Standard for the localisation industry

• It exists to make localisation easier, better value, better quality and more widely available

• Stands for – XML Localisation Interchange File Format


Why XLIFF

• Too many formats, too many processes• Tools need to concentrate on being able to

deal with many formats rather than improving features

• Lack of support for localisation workflow• Lack of Interoperability between tools• Benefit of using XML and Open Standards


Too many formats Too many process

• Publishers– Tied to vendor because they know their format– Must develop own tools, use one customised for them or use

standard formats

• Localisation Vendors– Complexity of many different formats for different customers– Training– Expertise becomes superficial

• Tool Vendors– Where do you start


Why XLIFF

• Too many formats, too many processes

• Tools need to concentrate on being able to deal with many formats rather than improving features



Localisation toolsFormats not Features

• Good quality tools are essential for localisation

• Tool vendors like Localisation vendors need to be able to deal with as many formats as possible

• Benefit come from functionality and features and not being able to deal with this wide variety of formats


Why XLIFF





Lack of support for localisation workflow

• Localisation workflow is becoming more sophisticated. XLIFF can support this through:– Meta data – Phase element

• XML can aid workflow

• XLIFF & Web Services


Why XLIFF



• Lack of support for localisation workflow

• Lack of Interoperability between tools• Benefit of using XML and Open Standards


WORD

Format X

XLIFFEN-DE

Translation

Conversion

GA/EV/ET PDF

EN

EN-FR

EN-ES

Pseudo Translation

Word Count,Analysis,

Other Tasks

EN-DE

EN-FR

EN-ES

Format X

WORD

EN

ES

FR

Conversion

*

*

* Customer Investment

XLIFFXLIFF

Macros/ Tools

CatalystTag Editor

SDLXPassolo etc.

Filters

Filters

Interoperability


Why XLIFF



• Lack of support for localisation workflow• Lack of Interoperability between tools

• Benefit of using XML and Open Standards


Benefits of XML and Open Standards

• XML is localisation friendly – Jon Bosak adddressed the LRC conference in 1998

• Power of XML– XSL– Schema

• Open Standards can benefit entire industry


Before LRC 2001

• September 2000 group formed to look at the issue of localisation file interchange

• Original group included Oracle, Sun, IBM, Novell, Berlitz GlobalNET. Moravia-IT RWS and Alchemy joined soon after.

• Agreed spec 1.0 but had didn’t publish due to IPR issues

• Joined Oasis December 2001


Currently involved in developing XLIFF

Alchemy Software Bowne Global Solutions HP Lotus/IBM Lionbridge LRC Moravia IT Novell

Oracle Microsoft RWS Group SAP SDL International

Sun Microsystems TektronixGlobalSight


XLIFF and Oasis

• Oasis – deals with XML standards for industry• Have been a supportive home who have treated

localisation seriously• Deals with IPR issues• Helps promote XLIFF and localisation within

companies, particular the large software publishers.

• XLIFF 1.0 is adopted as an Oasis committee specification


• Analyse project• Prepare localisables• Translation• Engineering• Testing• Delivery

Localisation Process

XLIFF can aid project analysis by having the source and target and any translation memories in one file.

Another advantage is that using a standard localisation format allows you to use different analysis tools


• Analyze project• Prepare localisables• Translation• Engineering• Testing• Delivery


XLIFF is an interchange format. It provides a mechanism for the preparation of files for localisation.As it is XML there are many tools that can be used to create XLIFF files. XML files can also be converted to XLIFF using XSL.




From the Translator’s point of view XLIFF means they do not have to know every file format.A number of tools have been written to take advantage of XLIFF and this is continuing to expand.




XLIFF is particularly suited to file formats containing resource data such as Windows Resource Script files.The “skeleton file” can be used with a variety of formats to ensure integrity.




XLIFF provides a number of mechanisms which will aid quality assurance. Translators and testers can view references and context information. The XLIFF file can be validated against a DTD.The skeleton file can provide a representation of the original file.




XLIFF provides a mechanism by which the files can be returned from the localisation vendor and the customer can process them easily.


XLIFF - overview

• Contains the localisible content

• Bi-lingual format

• Meta data– Workflow, Management information

• Support material – TMs, Alternate translation– Glossary reference


XLIFF elements - overview

• <file>– <header>

• <phase>

– <body>• <trans-unit>

– <source>

– <target>


XLIFF elements - file


• <phase>


– <source>

– <target>


XLIFF elements - phase


• <phase>


– <source>

– <target>


XLIFF elements – trans-unit


• <phase>


– <source>

– <target>


XLIFF elements Source and Target


• <phase>


– <source>

– <target>


XLIFF element – alt-trans

• Translation Memory

• MT

• Alternate translation – French translation available to French Canadian translators

• Used to aid workflow– Previous translations– Rejected translations


XLIFF in Action

• Special Olympics 2003

• Microsoft CMS/ BerlitzIT integration

• RC file

• IBM’s Domino Global Workbench/ BerlitzIT integration– Will be demonstrated as part of the Web

Services presentation


Special Olypics 2003

Admin site

News etc posted here

XLIFF file created

BerlitzIT.com

Vendor allocation

Translation

www.2003specialolympics.com

Content created

English content posted XLIFF

XLIFF

Localised content posted usingXLIFF


Special Olympics 2003

• Initial plans were for XLIFF to be used in News and some other frequently changing sections.

• MediaOne have redeveloped the site– Conform to W3C reccommendations on accessibility

– www.specialolympics2003.com

– www.mediaone.ie

• XLIFF now used for entire site

http://www.specialolympics2003.com/

http://www.mediaone.ie/


Microsoft CMS


Microsoft CMS to XLIFF


XLIFF examples – resource file


XLIFF – The future

• Oasis TC working on 1.1 spec• Plan to release this as an Oasis XML

Standard• Tightens up 1.0 spec

– 1.1 backward compatible with 1.0 spec

• Schemas – XSD

• Namespaces


• Localisation directives– Mechanism for marking up content for

translation.– May be used in wide variety of translatable

material

• Promoting XLIFF

• Further work on the XML standard for localisation

After 1.1 spec


More Information • The XLIFF TC Web Site: http://www.xliff.org• XML Internationalization and Localization by Yves Savourel• Presenters

– Tony Jewtushenko, (Oracle)([email protected])

– Peter Reynolds (Bowne Global Solutions)([email protected] )

• Contacts– XLIFF TC Chair: Tony Jewtushenko (Oracle)

([email protected])

– Your corporate XLIFF TC representative(See www.xliff.org for names)

http://www.xliff.org/

mailto:[email protected]






http://www.xliff.org/

tuesday, november 12, 2002 lrc 2002 conference xliff an xml standard for localisation tony...

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